Raju the bear will never have to smoke cigarettes or dance on his hind legs under the hot sun again thanks to a multinational project to save an endangered species and end a cruel centuries-old tradition in India.Raju was the last endangered sloth bear that had to work for a living, but who now can roam free at the Bannerghatta bear sanctuary on the outskirts of the southern city of Bangalore.

The bear’s freedom is the outcome of lengthy efforts by animal rescue organisations and the government that have taken the “dancing” bears off India’s streets, where the animals were once as ubiquitous as snake charmers and their cobras.”This is the very last bear that has been rescued from the roads of India, the actual last one and that is the end of the trade,” Mary Hutton, Australia-based chairperson and founder of Free the Bears Fund, told Reuters Television.

Sloth bears are protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, but they often entertained crowds by playing imaginary guitars, smoking cigarettes and dancing to the pounding of drums, providing an income for their handlers.More

Raju the bear will never have to smoke cigarettes or dance on his hind legs under the hot sun again thanks to a multinational project to save an endangered species and end a cruel centuries-old tradition in India.Raju was the last endangered sloth bear that had to work for a living, but who now can roam free at the Bannerghatta bear sanctuary on the outskirts of the southern city of Bangalore.

The bear’s freedom is the outcome of lengthy efforts by animal rescue organisations and the government that have taken the “dancing” bears off India’s streets, where the animals were once as ubiquitous as snake charmers and their cobras.”This is the very last bear that has been rescued from the roads of India, the actual last one and that is the end of the trade,” Mary Hutton, Australia-based chairperson and founder of Free the Bears Fund, told Reuters Television.

Sloth bears are protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, but they often entertained crowds by playing imaginary guitars, smoking cigarettes and dancing to the pounding of drums, providing an income for their handlers.More

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As you sit back and take in the glory of your illuminated, pine-scented Christmas tree, remember that you’re not the only family member captivated by its presence. To your cat, this over-sized scratching post represents the true joy of the holiday season: the opportunity to climb branches, bat around ornaments, and nibble on pine needles.

While everyone loves to watch cats play, Certified Cat Behavior Consultant Marilyn Krieger warns that pine is toxic to cats, so it is very important to keep them off the Christmas tree. Oftentimes, these trees are also sprayed with fire retardants that may be toxic to your pet.Krieger notes that in order to prevent your cat from making an ascent to the star at the top of your tree, you may want to cut off the lower branches. Be careful to clean the area thoroughly after removing the branches, as “sap is also toxic.”

It’s also important to decorate with trimmings that are cat-friendly in case your feline companion is able to get a hold of them. “Tinsel can cut a cat’s intestines if swallowed,” says Krieger. “It’s better to decorate with ornaments that are not breakable, and make sure that they are fastened onto the tree.”

Krieger suggests that while it is ideal to keep your cat out of the room with the Christmas tree, it may be more realistic to give your cat other things to do besides play on and around the tree. “Play with your cat to tire him out before you go into the room with the tree.”

An artificial tree can sometimes be a healthier option for cat owners who have a particularly curious kitty, but if you insist on having an authentic tree in your home, it may in your best interest to invest in some extra catnip.

The last wild Indochinese tiger in China was killed and eaten by a man who was yesterday sentenced to 12years’jail.Kang Wannian, a villager from Mengla, Yunnan Province, came across the tiger in February while gathering freshwater clams in a nature reserve near China’s border with Laos.He claimed to have killed it in self-defence.The only known wild Indochinese tiger in China, photographed in 2007 at the same reserve, has not been seen since Kang’s meal, the Yunnan-based newspaper Life News reported earlier this month.

A local court sentenced Kang to 10 years for killing a rare animal plus two years for illegal possession of firearms.Prosecutors said Kang did not need a gun to gather clams.Four villagers who helped Kang dismember the tiger and ate its meat were also sentenced from three to four years for ‘covering up and concealing criminal gains’, the report said.